Rolling internally flanged annuli



April 28, 1942. D. s. BELL ETAL 2,280,783,

ROLLING INTERNALLY FLANGED ANNULI Filed Dec 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 |'A--I c I l f Y. ,1 T D j 7 To! v w a I i 1 i L INVENTORS Dav/ff 5. Bell and Byron W Dun ham I M 1M Patented Apr. 28, 1942 Dav itt s. Bell, Pittsburgh, and Byron w. nunham, Oakmont, Pa., asslgnors to Edgewater Steel Corporation, Oakmont, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 14,1938, Serial No. 245.634 8 (llaims. (Cl. 80 ,60)

This invention pertains to the forming of an nuli having an internally projecting flange by rolling. According to this invention there is provided a novel method of forming such object and an improved apparatus through which the meth od may be-efiected. The present application is directed to the novel method, while the apparatus is the subject of divisional application Se rial Number 404,032 filed July 25, 1941.

Internally flanged annuli are commonly made at the present time by die forging. Some success has heretofore been achieved in producing such articles on ring rolling mills, but this is diflicult because of the peculiar conditions which are encountered in expanding a pierced blank or bloom from its original form to an internally flanged ring of many timesthe diameter of the blank. Among other difllculties encountered is the fact that the metal in the different portions of'the blank is elongated at diflerent rates. For example, if an annulus is being rolled which is T shaped in cross section with the stem of the T extending radially inwardly to form the internal.

flange and the part; corresponding to the crossbar of the T extending in an axial direction, the parts of the metal forming the rim above and below the plane of the leg or flange portion are elongated at a rate considerably out of propor- Fijgure 1 is a more or less schematic view showing a side elevation of the roller arrangement of a .ring mill for practicing our invention with a partially rolled blank engaged in the rollers; v

Figure 2 is a top elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the wheel and guide rolls being more clearly shown than'inFigur'e 1:

Figure 31s a view showing a typical blank or bloom in the form in which it is'originally made up for reduction in the mill;- a

Figure 4 is a similar view .of the completed blank;

Figure 5 is alongitudinal section showing more or less schematically a ring mill of novel construction arranged for carrying out'themethod of. our invention; and a Figure 6 is a detailed-view showing an elevation of the arbor and support for the upper edging roll of the'ring mill shown in Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 4 shows one typical form of internally flanged annulus which is formed by the present invention tothe rate at which the cross section of metal in the plane .forming the flange iselongated. The same is true in the rolling of a blank.

of L shaped cross section where the base of the L turns inwardly, such ablank or a modified form of it being commonly used for ring gears.

. According to our invention internally flanged annuli are. formed from a pierced bloom by a rolling operation efiected in a ring mill and the operation is carried out in such a way that the rate of elongation for different parts of the section can be controlled and coordinated. to the elongation in other parts of the section. According to the present invention-it is further con- 7 templat'ed that the rolling of the rim portion of tion. The internally'extending flange in the particular example illustrated is in the middle plane of the rim, the section through the rim being generally of a T shape with the leg of the T extend ing inwardly, but in many cases the flange may be above or below a middle plane or the section may be an L or a 2; shape. or have some other form. In forming the flanged annulus of Figure 4, a blank or bloom such as that shown in Figure'3 is first prepared. The blank may be formed in the usual way by forging a section of a bille to produce an annular bloom; l

The apparatus employed comprises a power driven mainroller 2 adapted to bear against the periphery of the bloom or blank. Cooperating directly with the main roller 2 is a pressure roller 3 (see Figs. 1 and 2). Thepressure roller 3 is supported for movement in a direction toward oraway from'the main roll 2. The rolling pass provided between the main roll 2 and thepressure roll 3 determines the reduction of the dimension F of. Fig. '3 to the dimension F ofFig. 4. The

rolling of the blank between these rolls effects reduction primarilyiu the plane of the flange of the blank.'- Acting in conjunction with the 'rolls 2 and 3 are upper and lower edging rolls 4 and 5 respectively. These rolls 4 and 5 are inclined toward each other and they. are in the same vertical plane and they are diametrically opposite rolls 2 and 3. 'For rolling the particular shape portion 8'. Roll 4 contacts with surfaces a, b,

and c 01 the blank or bloom. The working portion of the roll contacts the surfaces a, b, and

, 1c of the blank shown in Figure 3. They are both supported on a' carriage so that they can bemoved to ard and away from the main roll 2. In the op ation of rolling they are moved away from the main roll 2 as the diameter of the annulus increases. Equidistantly spaced to each side of the edging rollers 4 and 5 are pressurerollers 6 and 'l'which we designate as wheel rolls and which .bear against the periphery of the blank. The wheel rolls are mounted on the same carriage as the edging rolls 4 and 5, :as will be-hereinafter more fully explained, so that they may be moved away from the main roll 2. They are also mounted for relative movement with respect to the edging rollers 4 and 5 so that they can move in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 2; i. e.-, towardthe left as viewed in Fig. 2 at the same time as the carriage which carries both the edging rolls and the wheel rolls as viewed in Fig. 2 is moving toward the right. It is through the manipulation of the wheel rolls 6 and 'l' toward the shouldered terminals of the edgingrolls A 4 and 5 that the change of dim'ensionA in Fig. 3

to A in Fig. 4 is effected. The combination of edging and wheel rolls eflects reduction in a radial direction in that portion of the blank above or below the plane of the flange.

In addition to this, the upper edging roll 4 is tical movement that the dimension B of Fig. 3

is changed to B in Fig. 4, and dimension C in Fig. 3 is reduced to C in Fig. 4, dimension C'- being the thickness of the flange. The dimensions of the rolls 4 and 5 determine the changing of dimensions D-and E of Fig. 3 to D' and E of Fig. 4. Through the joint manipulation and action of all of the rolls, the over-all dimension X of the blank of Fig. 3 is increased to X in Fig. 4 and the internal diameter, dimension-Y in Fig. 3, is increased to Y in Fig. 4.

cated by the arrows in Figure 2. In rolling an internally flanged annulus according to the present invention utilizing the combination of rolls described, the blank after being torgedinto the shape shown in Fig. 3 and while still hot, is engaged by rolls in such man-. ner that thepre ure roll 3 extends through the opening in the b ank while the main roll 2 bears against the periphery or the blank. At this time the rollers 4 and 5 instead or being shown as shown in Fig. 1 are separated to a considerably greater extent than in Fig. 1 and they are much closer to the pressure roll 3. They are adjusted so that theroll surface of the blank rests on the terminal portion 5' of the lower edging roll movable vertically toward and away from the lower edging roll. It is through this relative verthe rolls in the manner described, the driven rolls 2, 4, and 5 are put into operation causing the blank to be rotated. When a suitable rolling speed has been reached, the roll 3 is moved toward the roll 2., At the'same time the roll 4 may be gradually or intermittently let down with reference to the lower edging roll 5. During the rolling operation the edging rolls 4 and I are moved gradually in a direction away from the main roll 2. The wheel rolls 8 and I are moved with the edging rolls 4 and 5 away from the main roll 2 and at other times they may be moved gradually or in small increments toward the terrninals 4 and 5' even while the assembly comprising the edging rolls 4 and 5 and the wheel rolls 6 and .l as a whole is moved toward the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The movement of the pressure roll 3 toward the main roll 2 determines the ultimate dimension F as indicated in Fig. 4. The relative movement between the wheel rolls 6 and l and the edging rolls 4 and 6 causes the edging rolls to establish the width of the rim portion of the annulus; i. e., the dimension A of Fig. 4. Thus, while the dimension of the blank in the plane of the flange is being determined by the rolls 2 and 3, the thickness of the rim, A as viewed in Fig. 4, is being established through the pressure exerted by the edging rollers applying a rolling pressure against the surfaces 0 and c in Fig. 3 of the blank while the wheel rolls 6 and I are'bearing against the periphery of the blank. In some rolling operations the wheel rolls 8 and I may remain fixed relative to the edging rolls 4 and 5,

; 'but the metal may nevertheless be reduced in a radial direction between the shoulders of the edging rolls and the wheel rolls, because as the piece becomes larger in diameter, either from 5 and the terminal portion 4' of the up er edging main roll 2 being power drivemthe edging rolls 4 and are also power driven.

When a blank has been positioned between the same time that the edging rollers, in conjunction with the wheel rolls, are reducing the portion of the blank that forms the rim of the annulus, but the rate or reduction of these portions can be independently controlled. Reduction in the cross section of the blank as a whole is further secured through the vertical movement of the upper edging roll with respect to the lower edging roll 5. As the upper edging roll 4 is forced down, pressure is applied in the direction of the axis of the blank against the faces a and a of the rim and faces b and b of It wlll'therefore be seen that three generally independent operations are ,correlated in the forming of a flanged annulus in accordance with our-invention. Elongation takes place when the pressure roll 3 is moved toward the main roll 2. Elongation takes-:place when the wheel rolls 8 and 'I are moved toward the shouldered terminals of the edging rolls, and elongation takes place when one of the edging rolls is moved vertically toward the other. Through the use of properly constructed edging rolls having working surfaces capable of applying both a downward and a radial pressure, the rate or reduction of the rim portion 01 aflanged annulus can be correlated to the rate of reduction of the portion of the blank in the plane of the flange. In the rolling I of the shape shown in Fig. 4 from the blank shown in'Fig..3, dimension F of Fig. 3 may be reduced, say one inch, to dimension F in Fig. 4, and dimension A may be reduced one inch to dimension A of Fig. 4. While this is the same actual reduction, one inch represents a considerably greater percentage of reduction on the dimension A than it does on the dimension F. From this example the importance of being able to correlate the reduction of the metalin the zone of the flange 'to the reduction of the metal in-the remaining part of the rim becomes more apparent. Likewise, dimension X is expanded to dimension X at a slower or different rate than dimension Y is expanded to dimension Y, and the present invention enables the blank to be expanded notwithstanding these different rates at which the diameter in different portions increases without drawing or stretching'the metal. It will be noted, moreover, that theface'sb and b and the inner face of the flange are all formed by a true rolling action soas to develop the grain of themetal.

One form of apparatus which may be used to a limited extent for practicing our invention is fully illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No.-

1,350,057 to F. B. Bell dated August l7, 1920, which shows a ring rolling mill of the type herein referred to having a power driven main roll and a pressure roll, corresponding to rolls 2 and 3 respectively; and having upper and lower edging No. 1,350,057 the edging rolls are used to control the thickness of the annulus in the direction of the axis of the annulus. The upper edging roll moves up and down with respect to the lower one only in an arc.

Because the apparatus shown in the Bell patent was not designed for use in rollingflanged annuli, and because the upper edging roll can move with respect to the lower. one only in an arc, its use in carrying out our method is limited, and we therefore prefer to, and as a matter of practice do, secure more satisfactory results and can roll a wider range of shapes, by using a machine as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 where the upper edging roll may be moved'toward and away from the lower edging roll in a direction parallel with the axis of the annulus being rolled instead of in an are, as in said to Figs. 5 and 6, It! represents a stationary frame memberproviding bearings for a shaft on which is mounted the main work roll 2, the shaft being driven by a motor l2. l3 designates a horizontal bed. Set on the bed |3 is a slide |4 providing a support for the pressure roll 3. Connected to the slide I4 is a pull rod l5 which is illustrated as having a cross head |6 on which der, the carriage .II can be moved back and forth Fhank B. Bell patent. Referring are pistons engaging in cylinders l6, such'cylinders being mounted on the stationary frame l6. The arrangement is such'that when the cylinders I6 are operated, the slide l4 may be moved back and forth for moving the pressure roll 3,.toward the main roll 2. Also mounted on the bed I3 is a carriage II. This carriagehas a vertically ex- 23 on which is mounted a slide plate 24. On the slide plate 24 is a motor 25. The motor 25 drives a shaft 26 on the lower end of which is the upper edging roll 4. A screw adjustment 2] enables the motor with the shaft 26 to be moved in the direction of the axis of the shaft 26 to advance or retract the upper edging roller. A yoke 28 attached to the bracket 23. It is also adjustably connected at 29 to a bracket 36 on the carriage 2|. Through the operation of, the adjustment 29 the angle of the shaft 26 and of the upper edging roll can be changed. 3| indicates a pull-back cylinder for raising the carriage, this cylinder being operable through pull-back rods 32. The

carriage I! also provides a supportfor the lower edging roll 5. This roll is carried on a shaft 5'a. Any suitable. drive arrangement may be provided for the shaft as for example the drive arrangement shown in the said patent to F. B. Bell or there may be a motor 33 on the carriage for driving the shaft in. as illustrated in Fig. 5. There is also illustrated a screw adjustment 34 by means of which the motor shaft So can be moved up and down in the direction of the axis of the shaft 5a for adjustment of the roll 5 with respect to the roll 4.

Also mounted on the carriage I1 is a fixed .cylinder 35 which operates a piston rod 36. On

the forward-end of the piston rod 36 is a yoke 31. This yoke supports the two wheel rolls 6 and In conjunction with cylinder 35 there may be a pull-back cylinder 38. By operation of the piston 36, wheel rolls 6 and 1 can be moved back and forth with relation to the edging rolls 4 ahdi:

The carriage I! can be moved back and forth. For effecting the operation of the carriage, we have shown a cylinder 39 having a piston with a piston rod 46, the forward end of the piston rod 40 being. connected to the carriage. The arrangement is such that by operation of the cylinalong the bed of the machine.

The mechanism illustrated is more or less schematically shown as being one type of structure specifically adapted for carrying out our invention. The important difference between the structure shown in Fig. 5 and prior Patent No.

axis of the main roll, may also be adjusted to a.

desired angular inclination and retained at this inclination throughout the rolling operation. This is of importance in the rolling of different specific internally flanged shapes, as the angle of the upper work roll can be adjusted to meet the requirements of the particular annulus being rolled. By having theupper edging roll move vertically relatively to the lower one, the reduction in the piece being rolled caused by the upper roll being moved down occurs uniformly, whereas, an apparatus as shown in the Bell patent, while satisfactory for some shapes, causes unequal reduction to occur by reason of the angular travel of the upper edging roll.

It will be understood from the description of our method that in the operation of rolling a flanged annulus the blank as shown in Figure 3- is placed between-the main roll 2 and the pressure roll 3 in such manner that the pressure roll 3 passes through the opening in the blank. At this time the carriage I1 is in a position where the bottom face of the blank will rest on andbe supported by the lower work roll 5. As the reduction of metal takes place causing the diameter annulus which comprises forming an annular blank and then rolling the blank to reduce its section and increase its diameter, the portion of the blank in the plane of-the flange and there-'- maining part of theblank being separately but v concomitantly subjected to rolling pressure. in a direction radially or the blank and at separately.

. controlled rates.

of'the blank to increase, the carriage I1 is moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 5 away from the main roll. As previously explained, reduction oi the rim of the blank is accomplished by causing 4. The method of rolling an internallyflanged, annulus which comprises forming a blank in the formvof an annulusand' then rolling the blank to reduce its cross section and expand its diameter by separate radial rolling operations concomitantly performed on-the rim portion of the annulus and on the flange portion 'and simultathe wheel rolls 8 and 1 to move toward the edging vrolls as viewed in Fig. 5 even-though-the carriage I! as a whole may be receding from the main roll 2. Reduction of the rim portion as well as of the flange is also accomplished by the vertical movement of the upper edging roll toward the lower edging roll through the operation of-the cylinder and the piston-20. Reduction of the section of the metal lying in' the plane of the flange of the annulus is effected through the" movement of the pressure roll 3 toward the main roll 2, this being accomplished by causing the carriage l4 to be moved to the left as viewedin Various changes'may be made in the apparatus illustrated, and various modifications may be made in the arrangement of rolls or combinations of rolls depending upon the shape of the internally flanged annulus to be produced. Also, the order in which various combinations of rolls are operated may be varied'to accomplish the best results for a given shape of annulus. For example, in the making of some annul'i'it may be desirable to effect elongation by moving the upper edging roll 4 down toward the lower edging-roll 5 the full distance of itsdownward travel before moving the wheel rolls 6 and I inwardly toward the edging rolls. In other operations it may be desirable to just reverse this procedure while in still other operations the relative movement of neously applying rolling pressure in an axial di-- I rection'to both the rim and flange portions of 5.; The method of rolling an-internally flanged annulus which comprises forming an annular bloom and then subjecting it to rolling opera-' tions in radial and axial directions, the portion 'of the blank forming therim ofthe annulus being subjected to a rolling operation in a radial direction separate fr'om and in addition to a radial rolling step concomitantly performed on the blank against the flange portion thereof.

- 6. The method of rolling an internally flanged annulus which comprises forming an annular bloom and then subjecting thebloom to a rolling operation wherein thefportion of the bloom in the plane of the flange isrolled'between rollers which exert pressure in a radial direction and wherein the portions of therlmof lthe'annulus which are ofiset from-the plane of the flange are concomitantly rolled between rollers that exert pressure in a radial direction to said ofiset rim portions only.

7. The method of rolling an internally flanged annulusbwhich comprises forming an annularbloom and then subjec ing the bloom to a rolling the rolls may be effected in the increments alternating first between one set of rolls and then the other, or relative movement may be eifected simultaneously, Also, instead of the annulus being of a T shape, as described, it may be in the form of an L or a Z, or anyother cross sectional shape, and til e edging rolls and other rolls are modified according to the shape to be rolled.

We claim as our invention:

bloom and then subjecting it to rolling opera tions in radial and axial directions, the portion of the blank in-the plane of the flange being subjected to a radial rolling step separate from but in conjunction with the rolling in a radial "direction'of the remainder of the rim.

2. The method of rolling an internally flanged the bloom in lib- 1. The method of rolling an internally flanged annulus which-comprises forming an annularoperation wherein th" portion-of the bloom in the plane of the flange is rolled between rollers which exert pressure in a radial direction and wherein the portions of the rim of the annulus -which are offset from the plane of the flange are concomitantly-rolled between vrollers that exert pressure in a radial-direction to said offset rim portions only, and which also apply rolling pressure .to both the flange and the rim ,portion of bloom. V

--8. The method of rolling an internally flanged annuluswhich provides forming an annularbloom and rolling the bloom by the application of. pressure in a radial direction to reduce the section ofthe' bloom in the portion of the blank in which'the flange is to be formed, separately and concomitantly applying pressure in aradial direction to the rim portion of the blank extending beyond the flange, simultaneously applying pressure'in' an axial direction to the faces of the rim and the flange portions of the'jblank, and

correlating the various applications of pressure to maintain the percentage of reduction-in the flangeand rim portions substantially ummr 'mvrrr s. 3m, BYRON w. DUNHAM.

the direction of the axis of the 

